Window strip installation and fastener for the same



Oct. 24, 1939. w H 2,177,591

WINDOW STRIP INSTALLATION AND FASTENER FOR THE SAME Filed March 25, 1957 Y I'zveniow: DI/133mm: 1. Cfiurcizz'ii.

Patented Qct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES WINDOW STRIP INSTALLATION AND FASTENER FOR THE SAME Wilmer H. Churchill, Saugus, Mass., assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March.25, 1937, Serial No. 133,011

3 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved fastener memberfor attaching a Window strip or the like to a supporting structure.

' Referring to the drawing, in which I have illustrated preferred embodiments of my invention:

Figure 1 is a top view of one form of my fastener member secured to a window guide strip; Fig. 2 is a section of a window channel sup- ;port, a window for the same and a window guide strip secured to the support by means of my first form of fastener member;

Fig. 3 is a top View of the fastener member shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along'the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the fastener shown in Fig.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the fastener shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a top view of a modified form of my fastener member;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the fastener shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a bottom View of the fastener shown in Fig. '7.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple yet efficient fastener member for. attaching a flexible strip or the like to a supporting structure. Due to the factthat my improved 9 fastener memberis particularly useful for purposes of securing a window guide strip to a window channel supporting structure, I prefer to describe it in connection with such an installation although there are many other uses to which my fastener could be directed which would fall within the spirit of this invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, which illustrates the preferred use of my invention, I. have shown a metal window channel frame I, which may be, of

40 U-shaped construction,incrossesection. The inside face 2 of the frame bounds one side of the channel through which a window pane 3 is moved during the raising and lowering of the same. A flexible strip 4 is positioned in predetermined 5 position relative to the outer end 2 ofthe frame I so as to sealin effective manner the passage between the frame face 2 and the window pane 3, as shown in Fig. 2. The strip which I have chosen for the purpose of illustrating my invention isof an elongated shape in cross-section and provided with, a metal stiffening core 5 for;pre-

I venting too great flexibility of the part. A nap means 6 is provided along one edge of the strip on-the side facing the pane 3. A portion 1 of 5 the body, ofthe stripadiacent the, opposite edge of the strip from that along which the nap means 6 is disposed is adapted to be gripped by portions of a fastener member, in a manner to be hereinafter described, so as to secure the fastener to the strip.

The strip 4 is attached to the frame I by means of my improved fastener members which are provided with a yieldablestud means 8 extending through an aperture 9. in the frame face 2 and engaging the material of the frame surrounding the aperture, as'illustrated in Fig. 2. For reasons of manufacture the aperture 9 is disposed relatively near to the outer end 2 (Fig. 2) of the frame I. Also, in order that the window guide strip installation may present a neat and attractive appearance, many automobile manufacturers insist that the strip be disposed, after attachment, substantially even with the outer end 2 of the frame I and not project beyond the same. My improved fastener is constructed in such a way that it may grip the strip firmly so as to secure it permanently to the frame and, at the same time, hold it in the required position relative to the outer end of the frame.

Referring in detail to my first form of fastener member, I have illustrated in Figs. 1-6 a fastener made of one piece of sheet metal presenting a base portion I 0 and a yieldable stud portion 8 extending from the base. The base H3 is of substantially U-shaped construction providing an upper arm I l and a lower arm I2 connected at their ends by an intermediate portion l3. The free ends of the arms I! and I2 define an opening adapted to receive the thickness of the strip 4. The lower arm I2 is adapted to be clamped against anopposite side of the strip 4 from the arm ll so as to secure the fastener to the strip and, in order to accomplish this purpose, the base i0 is preferably constructed to be yieldable at the intermediate portion [3 whereby the arm 12 is moved from full open position relative to the arm H, when a suitable tool (not shown) is applied to it, in the direction of the arm ll so that the arms embrace opposite sides of the strip. An upwardly extending gripping portion M is preferably provided at the free end of the arm l2 which is adapted to engage the body of the strip 4 (Fig. 2) so as to provide a more secure attachment,

In order that the strip may be positioned in proper relation to the end of the frame, as hereinabove described, when the parts of the installation are in final assembly, I have provided stop means in the form of lugs I5 (Figs. 4 and 5) integral, in my preferred form, with the clamping arm I2 and positioned intermediate the free end of the arm and the intermediate portion so as to space the strip from the intermediate portion when the fastener is secured to the strip. The lugs I5 extend upwardly from opposed lateral edges of the arm l2 and have free end portions sheared, in my preferred form, from the material of the intermediate portion I3. The openings I6 adjacent lateral edges of the intermediate portion (Fig. 5), which are formed by taking material out of the intermediate portion to form the lugs, serve to reduce the widthof the intermediate portion so as to increase flexibility of the same. The free end portions of thelugs are disposed between the arms II and I2 on the same side of the intermediate portion I3 as the opening defined by the free ends of the arms II and I2, as most clearly illustrated in Figs. '2 and 4. Thus it will be seen that by my invention I have provided a fastener having a clamping arm which is long enough toovercome appreciably the resistance against bending which is set up in the intermediate portion thereby enabling the arm to be moved more readily, into clamping position. Also, my fastener presents positioning means in the form of the lugs I5, whereby the strip may be secured in proper position relative to the outer end of the frame.

As a means for securing the fastener member to a support I have provided the stud portion 8 which extends from the arm I! and is adapted to be snapped through the aperture 9 of the frame structure I. The stud portion 3, in my preferred form, comprises a yieldable loop of relatively narrow material integral with the arm II and disposed adjacent the inner end of a slot I'I cut into the arm I I from the free end thereof. The loop comprises legs. I8 and I9, each of which has a diverging portion and a converging portion providing shoulders for engagement with a cooperating apertured part (Fig. 4). The legs I8 and I9 are connected at their leading ends forming a nose 2!) for guiding the stud means into engagement with a. cooperating socket means. The end of the leg I9 opposed to that end connected to the leg I3 joins the material of the arm II adjacent the slot II and the end of the arm I8 opposed to that connected to the leg I9 is free so that the stud means may have proper resiliency. A flange I8 is provided at the free end of the arm l8, in my preferred form, extending outwardly from the leg I8 and lying within the slot II in substantially the plane of the arm I I (Figs, 4 and 5) whereby no portion of the arm I8 extends into the strip-receiving opening between the arms II and I2 so as to impede entrance of the strip between the arms.

Assembly of the component parts of my installation is a relatively simple matter and is accomplished by first moving the fastener toward the portion I of the guide strip i until the guide strip abuts the stop lugs I5. The lower arm I2 is then struck by a suitable tool to move it in the direction of the arm so that the free end portion I4 of the arm engages the material-of the strip and the strip is firmly gripped between the arms II and I2 (Figs. 1 and 2). As many fasteners as are needed to secure theguide strip in position may be assembled with the strip inthe manner just described. The fasteners are assembled with the strip so that when the strip is brought into position for application to the frame support I, a fastener will be approximately opposite an opening 9. Finally the guide strip is secured to the supportby moving the 'yielda'ble loop-shaped stud means 8 through the apertures 9 of the support whereupon the diverging portions of the legs I8 and I9 resiliently engage the material adjacent the apertures 9 (Fig. 2).

My modified fastener member illustrated in Figs. 7-9 comprises a U-shaped base having a pair of arms 2| and 22 adapted to grip opposite sides of the portion I of the body of the strip 4 and an intermediate portion 23' connecting the arms at their ends. A loop-shaped resilient stud member 24, which is similar in form to the stud 8 of my first form of fastener, extends upwardly from adjacent a free edge of the arm 2! for snap fastener engagement with an aperture 9 of the frame support I. preferably has an outwardly extending flange portion 24 lying substantially in an extension of the lateral plane of the arm 2|. The arm 2| The free end of the stud 24 differs slightly from the arm II of my first form of fastener in that the length of the arm from a point adjacent the. intermediate portion 23 to adjacent the junction of the stud 23 with the arm is greater than in my first form. As a result of this relatively long construction, the arm 2| provides a proper bearing service without the k necessity of continuing portions of the arm 2| beyond the point at which the stud means joins the arm as provided in my first form for carrying out this object. In attaching the. fasteners to the strip 4 the base is movedtoward the strip until portions of the arms 2| and 22 are disposed on opposite sides of the strip. The lower arm 22 is then struck by a suitable tool so. as to move it toward the arm 2| and into clamping engagement with the strip. This clamping action is em I abled through reason of the flexibility of the intermediate portion 23 which may be apertured or reduced in width in some suitable manner so as to increase its yieldability.

In order that the strip 4 may be spacedfrom the intermediate portion 23 after it has been secured between thearms for the purposes. mentioned in connection with the stop lugs I5 of my first form of fastener, I have constructed the lower clamping arm 22 so that it has a portion 25 extending from the intermediate portion 23 substantially in parallel relation to the arm 2| for a predetermined distance and an engaging portion 26 extending from the portion 251 downwardly and outwardly away from the arm 2! toward the opening in the base defined by the free ends of the arms. The portion 26, together with a portion of the arm 2|, is adapted to engage opposite sides of the strip so as to secure the fastener to the same. Due to the fact that the distance between the portion 25 of the arm 22 and a portion of the arm 2| with which the portion 25 is parallel is less than the diameter of the portion I of the body of the strip, the strip is maintained in spaced relation to the intermediate portion 23 after it has been secured to the fastener. Thus by the particular manner in which I have formed my fastenerI am enabled, as in the first form of my device, to secure the strip to the support in such a way that it is properly positioned relative to the outer end of the support and, also, I have provided, as described inconnection with my first form of fastener, a stripgripping base portion which is constructed in a As a result of my invention I have provided fastener members capable'of satisfactory operation in connection with a specific installation-of 75 installations.

Although I have illustrated and described preferred forms of my invention, I do not wish to be a pair of yieldable arms and an intermediate portion connecting said arms at certain of their ends, the free ends of said arms opposite said connected ends defining an opening for receiving an article,

one of said arms normally extending from said intermediate portion in substantially parallel relation to said other arm and then flaring outwardly from said other arm toward said opening, said outwardly flared portion adapted, in cooperation with a portion of said other arm, ad-

, jacent the free end of said other arm, to clamp 'uponopposite sides of said article, said parallel portions of said arms having a lesser distance between them than the thickness of said article whereby said article is spaced from said intermediate portion after it has been secured to said base.

2. A fastener member comprising a base and a yieldable stud means extending from said base, said base having a pair of yieldab-le arms and an intermediate portion connecting said arms at certain of their ends, the free ends of said arms opposite said connected ends defining an open ing for receiving an article, projections extending from one of said arms toward the other of said arms for limiting movement of said article in the direction of said intermediate portion whereby said article is spaced from said intermediate portion, at least the free end portions of said projections being formed from the material taken from said intermediate portion.

3. A fastener member comprising a base and a yieldable stud means extending from said base, said base having a pair of yieldable arms and an intermediate portion connecting said arms at certain of their ends, the free ends of said arms opposite said connected ends defining an opening for receiving an article, projections extending from one of said arms toward the other of said arms for limiting movement of said article in the direction of said intermediate portion whereby said article is spaced from said intermediate portion.

- WILMER, H. CHURCHILL. 

